The Fallen Tree
by Calstifer
Summary: A LOTR tail involving Dunedain Rangers.
1. Infomation read

The Falling Tree

The Falling Tree

An Ithilien tale

This story is based in the lower regains of middle earth, like Anfalas and Lebennin. This story is based 20 years after the war of the ring.

Ithilien rangers are a group of elite archers who, in times of peace, hold the law together and help in things as disturbances in balance of power. In war, they act as special troops to scout and take out vital positions for Gondor. They may do this all for Gondor, but they are a special branch and are not influenced or commanded by the king of Gondor. There are about 100 Ithilien rangers in peace, but they can go to up to 1000 in times of war, with veterans and new recruits coming back and in to join the fight. A rangers weapons are the best made in the kingdom, except maybe the swords and armour of kings. They normally contain a longbow, two small short swords and many other tricks and traps for emergencies (ambushes ect).

Although Dunedain is the best archers in the kingdom, there are only 2 permanent in the Rangers.

Dunedain are people, except they can live up to 500 or more. They have uncanny skill with they bow and are refuges. Dunland is ared nowadays, so Dunedain moved to the east, in hope of finding home. Ironically, only 2 found the Ithilien Rangers, or were accepted by them.


	2. Chapter One, Briefing

The Falling Tree

Chapter one, briefing

It was the bi-annual Ithilien meeting, one hundred people sat in a boiling room with no windows. Every year it was like this, hot, miserable, and all to hear some old man blab on about hell knows what. But, as an Ithilien ranger he had to stay, and listen (but he didn't). Hadrian was half concealed in his this leather armour. "We have one special assignment this year, we have had word from Lebennin that the goblin raids have increased, and they have also widened the area they expand to. The Ithilian counsel decided that this is a great chance to teach one of our new rangers the skills required in the field. He will be accompanied by a senior ranger to guide his progress. The counsel chose Feuer, (the youngest) to accompany Hadrian on this mission." Hadrian rolled his eyes- he hated doing this, and the counsel knew it. "Feuer and Hadrian must report to the mission preparation room for a proper briefing after this meeting." The man finished, seemingly bored with listening to himself speak. "Now unto other news…" Hadrian tuned out again. "Another mission, this is going to be interesting" Hadrian thought sarcastically.

"goo-ood afternoon jents" Dennis, the chirpy mission preparer said to Hadrian, who arrived five minutes late on purpose. "Your mission is pretty basic, but it just has that edge of danger that would be good to teach one of our younger rangers how to work in the field. The older members, especially administrators, seemed to remind Feuer that he was abnormally young for a ranger. He shrunk in his seat a little. "Now, down to business, have a seat Hade." Hade was Dennis's pet name for Hadrian; he was the only one who could call him that (unless you were willing to break a bone or two). Hadrian examined Dennis for the first time in ten years. He was growing old now, with a grey beard that streached down his throat and lines that appeared on his shrivelled cheeks. He then looked at Feuer for the first time. His eyes were blue, and filled with hope and promise. Hadrian frowned; he wasn't going to find much hope here, just a lifetime dedication to people who, no matter how hard you work, treat you like dirt. He looked at the young boy's other facial features. His ears were concealed by his pitch black hair which reached down just below his ear lobes. He was well built, but not as well built as himself. He didn't wear armour; new rangers often didn't, for it wasn't necessary until later missions. Hadrian however kept his armour on like a second skin. Dennis snapped him out of his daydream and gave him his briefing. Hadrian read it quickly, outmatching Feuer by at least a few minutes. "As you've probably read, goblins have had many raids on outlaying farms in Lebennin, more than usual. The lord of Lebennin has called the Ithiliens' to help, and we are happy to oblige. Hadrian mentally smiled, for a couple of thousand denars most likely. "Now, equipment" Dennis said, revealing arms and traps from a chest. Feuer, Hadrian noticed, was thrilled by what he saw, Hadrian not as so.

"Smoke bombs, always good for a getaway, oh yes, I forgot, please try and avoid skirmishes. It's so damn hard to get the locals to shut up. Hadrian smiled for the first time that day; he loved Dennis' warped sense of humour.

"Flint gas, Feuer, you problay don't know this one."

Feuer nodded and waited, but Dennis did as well, obviously waiting for an inquiry. Feuer was happy to oblige. "What is flint gas?" Dennis seemed pleased that he asked, and explained. "Well, young ranger, fire gas is a chemical added to flint, it's really helpful. When you strike it, it creates a toxic fire that is unspeakably hot, so if you want it to stop growing, you stop lighting the flint." Feuer almost went extacic at the sound of it, Hadrian rolled his eyes. "Don't use it too often, like the killing, it's a pain to get villagers not to spread the rumours of random smoke coming from a thick forest and somehow not spreading, although they're most likely not to inquire."

"And one thing that will always be included, the bow!" Feuer was less impressed by it, until he studied it. Is wasn't the average longbow he used in training, it was carved with yellow, and the string was surprisingly thin. Hadrian recognized it as an elvan Mirkwood bow, but didn't enquire about why it was chosen.

"This one is especially for Hadrian, because we couldn't find a smaller one in the armoury for this short amount of time." He struggled to pull out a two handed blade. It had elven carved in its hilt, and the leather was new. The blade was sharpened and seemed to glimmer. Hadrian grinned, a pint of luck. Dennis gave the sword to Hadrian and said to them both. "Well boys, its time to rock Lebennin to the lowest deaths of Dunedain hell." Hadrian was surprised by this comment, he had only told Dennis that he was Dunedain, and he was sworn to silence, but nothing could be done in front of Feuer. Both men walked out of the room. Hadrian looked at Feuer and said "we're leaving at daybreak. Be packed and ready. Bring food for about two weeks," Hadrian stopped for a second, then regained his speech "300 denars and all your gear, don't forget to bring your blades. Oh right, you don't have them yet. I'll try to weasel them out of the armourer." Feuer seemed stunned, this was the most that Hadrian had spoken to him ever, but Hadrian continued "Don't bother with a tent, it will slow us down. And we're going by foot." Feuer was surprised by this last sentence, he was taught never to go anywhere without his horse. He walked off, anxious about what was to come. Feuer grumbled in his head, "He can't boss me around" but then he realised he could, his protest died unspoken.


	3. Chapter Two, The First Night

The Falling Tree

Chapter two, The first night.

It was dawn. The bitter air rubbed agenst Hadrian's skin. Birds were just waking up and chirping could be heard for miles. Hadrian sighed, he was late. "Ill has to go on without him, he'll catch up" he thought, making his way south. He walked for hours, with his crowl concealing his facial features and keeping him from freezing, and yet he did not waver. He was trained to take punishment for walking and running for days, it was a skill that was more important than anyone thought. The land in frount of him was ared and light. Gondor's lower reagens had been half abandoned when the war of the ring stared twenty years ago, and now they were there cleaning up the mess. Hadrian heard hooves behind him. He calculated wind speed and direction to examine how far his potential enemy was, while keeping pace. "He'll catch up to me in six and a half minuets" he calculated, knocking the string to the bow and pulling out an arrow. A small figure on a horse appeared in the distanced, obvious in the sun behind him. Hadrian smiled, his instincts were still intact. As the figure came closer, a small nagging feeling in his mind tugged his memory, he seemed familiar. He realised it was Feuer and sighed, he completely forgot about him... Feuer caught up and jumped off his horse, seeming distressed he was late. "I'm sorry I'm late, had a late night…." He trailed off, hinting a hangover. "Highly understandable" Hadrian said, remembering how much of a hangover he had before his first mission. "But you're here, just one thing…" Hadrian said, looking at his chestnut horse. Feuer realised his mistake and frowned. "Great so now we have to ride back?" Hadrian realised that they hadn't taught them this skill. "No need, just use your index finger to scrape across the mane and say Pèle." Feuer did what he said. Suddenly, the horse neighed and ran back the direction he came. Feuer was surprised and was about to ask a question when Hardin called him to silence. "No need for inquiries, our horses are trained for two years, unfortunately you don't get as much time…" Hadrian didn't mean that to be an insult, but Feuer took it that way, but didn't speak. "Common, lets roll" Hadrian said as he pulled his pack on his back and started walking.

It was evening, and the two Ithiliens had been walking all day. Hadrian stopped him at a rocky out crop and said to Feuer "we camp here tonight." They quickly set up camp; there wasn't much to do considering they didn't bring tents. Hadrian brang back firewood and put them in a small rock circle. "Feuer can you light the fire with your flint? Ill get dinner out of my pack." Feuer walked over and got the flint out of his pack and started striking it agents' each other. Hadrian walked back and dropped his food; hew as using the flint gas. "Drop th..." before he could finish, Feuer had lit it, and he breathed in the toxic fumes it created. Hadrian knew he had ten seconds or Feuer could be brain damaged for life or killed. He sprinted over, his crowl covering his mouth so he didn't breathe in the toxic fumes. He jumped and knocked over Feuer. Feuer gasped at the sudden reaction, but he realised he didn't have to strength to retaliate. Hadrian bandaged his mouth and ran to the fire. He came over it, but realised he needed his water skin to extinguish it, and he felt weak. "Dam it… I can't fall unconscious... Feuer wont have a chance." He scrambled over to his bag and pulled out his skin. He then squirted it over the fire, extinguishing it. Hadrian let a sigh of relief come out, before moving down to Feuer. Feuer was expecting sympathy, but all he got was a hurl of insults. "You idiot! You almost got us both killed! That was the flint gas!" Feuer suddenly realised he made a tactical error. "Since you inhaled four breaths, you will be fine, but for the love of Dain don't do that again!" Feuer realised he got off lightly and nodded. "Common, get up, the drowsiness will wear off." Feuer got up dazally. "This time, I light the fire" Feuer smiled as he picked up the dropped food.

They sat down at the fire after a meal of mutton and a bit of potato, full at the meal. Feuer felt better, and decided this was the best time to say thanks. "Thanks, you must really care." Hadrian burst out laughing; Feuer looked at him with a confused look. It took a while for Hadrian to recover, before he managed to say straight faced. "To be honest, I don't care about you, if you were killed on the first day; I'd land in deep trouble." Feuer tried to act angry, but Hadrian could see he was hurt inside, he felt like a tool. "How… why… don't you care? Don't you have emotions, don't you cry?" The words ripped at Hadrian's heart, but he didn't care. Years of hurt and blood already ripped his heart apart, it was like he didn't have one anymore. He stood up and started going to his watch, Ithiliens could never be too careful. "Devils never cry" he replied, walking to a rock to sit warmly on his watch.


	4. Chapter Three, Hell From Below

The Falling Tree

Chapter three, hell from below

They had walked solidly for the past two weeks, only stopping to have the occasional food and water. They only slept every two days, to increase efficiency on there journey, this was clearly taking a toll on Feuer. "You look tired" Hadrian noticed, or pretended to. "What do you think? We only sleep every two days! Why do we have to do this anyway! It's not like there's any urgency!" Hadrian knew this, but did this for a different reason "you see" ,he said clearly, not bothering to make eye contact, "when your life does depend on it, your body wont keep up, these little things can keep you alive, or kill you" Feuer realised he was right, so he fell silent. There was a couple minuets until Feuer started talking again "how long until we get there?" It was a question commonly asked. Hadrian sighed and realised to show him he had to stop, so he did and pulled off his pack. He pulled out the harness and drew the map from the pack. He explained everything, there speed, were they were. Feuer realised he made another mistake, he couldn't understand a word he was saying. "…so we are about three hours away" he concluded. Feuer seemed surprised, because the ared landscape seemed to not end. But then he realised something "from were?" he asked, Hadrian replied "well, the nearest town, of coarse." Feuer frowned, there was a lot more walking to do. "But we'll rest therefore a few days, it'll do us good. Feuer smiled and started jogging to the objective.

They arrived at late afternoon and booked a lodge. It wasn't high class, but not dirt cheap either. The arrived in the lodge, it had two beds, a small kitchen and a bathroom. Feuer frowned and wined "can't we get a better lodge?' "No… that would maximise suspicion, it's not like Ithiliens are liked around there." Feuer realised he was right, and dropped into bed. Hadrian sighed and dropped into his own.

_It was dark… so dark. Hadrian stood in the middle, wearing his armour, with bow in hand. Only one small light glimmered in the distance, a small candle perhaps. There seemed to be a small wind sound, like a whisper. The light went out; darkness seized his ribs, sucked the air out of his lungs and forced him to the ground. A mirror appeared in front of him. He was young, much younger than he was then. He realised why he was here, and with whom. "Welcome, Hadrian, to my domain" Hadrian hear beat faster than the rattle of a thousand horses. "Remember me? I'm back…" the wind seemed to mutter. Some black hand placed on his shoulder that sent a shiver down Hadrian's spine. He then whispered down his neck "you belong here, come with me." The grip on Hadrian increased, he gasped in pain and managed to say "stop playing with my head; you know it wasn't my fault." "But it is," he replied, almost scaring Hadrian, "it was all your fault, and know it." The presence disappeared, and the scene of a burning village appeared in fount of him. Hadrian muttered "I'm sorry…"_

Hadrian woke up with a start, drenched with sweat. The pain was still in his body, but not as extreme as before. "Was that a dream? Or was that real?" he asked himself in his head. "I don't know anymore" he fell in his bed and went back to sleep a dreamless sleep.


	5. Chapter Four, A Bloody Vision

The Falling Tree

Chapter four, A bloody vision

Hadrian woke up at dawn, accustomed to the gruelling sleep patterns of a ranger. He yawned, and was temped to make breakfast, but then saw Feuer tucked up in bed, so he decided not to. He stealthy waled out of the room, wearing a white shirt with a brown jacket, people done openly discuss with rangers. Hadrian walked into a bar, it was were all the gossip ended up, true or not. He sat down at an almost full table, it was surprisingly busy for this time of day, thought Hadrian, but then he realised that bars like this were always busy. "Guys, I was thinking of going into Anfalas though the forest, but from what I've heard, goblins have been on the rise, what's up with that?" said Hadrian, sneakily weaving information without causing suspicion. "Tat' would be right, tire have been attacks on towns and villages now, not just outlaying farms." Said one of the men, showing small signs of being scared. "all we've heard is tat' ther' at the eastern side of th' forest.." he said, and he managed to croak "th' closest part to 'ere…" the men fell silent, Hadrian realised that he wasn't going to get anymore information with ought causing suspicion, so he stood up while saying, pretending to be scared "well.. I guess I could move out of the way of the forest… it would be safer, fare well my friends, and thank you." One of them smiled and nodded as he left, smirking as he knew he had just easily gotten vital information for there journey.

"We move now" Hadrian said as he stormed into the hotel, startling Feuer who was eating breakfast. "Bu..." but before Feuer managed to say anything, Hadrian said "I haven't had breakfast either, now lets get packed; the faster we pack the faster we stop walking. Feuer groaned and put his breakfast in the bin. They were packed and ready in fine minuets, checking out in ten. "Out to the beaten track again, I'm almost happy" Hadrian said, just to antagonise Feuer. Feuer groaned and grudgingly followed.

They sat in an open field, with a small campfire raging in the middle. Hadrian sat, head down and perhaps the first time Feuer had seen him without his crowl. He had a slight beard, only small, about 1mm in length, and completely back. His hair, however, was dark brown and was in a ponytail that starched down to the middle of his back. His nose was centred, and unbroken, a rare virtue in warriors and rangers alike. He had a few light scars on his face, one of a ranger, not of a stupid warrior who doesn't know how to duck or who relies on his helmet. His eyes, they were brown, but shallow. They showed no hope, no life. His body was perfectly built, someone who trained hard and lived hard. Feuer frowned, but then went to watch, while letting Hadrian get some well deserved sleep.

_It was the black again, the black vortex of hell. Hadrian stood, at least five years older. The small candle was there. Hadrian prepared his lungs for all out punishment. It hit him like a bomb, it was harder this time, he barely could get breath into his body. He fell to the ground, but managed to stay on his knees, letting him breathe better. "Hello, Hadrian, it's great to see you back." It was the dark voice again, this time appearing in a grey robe, his face and body features concealed by it. "I've been dwelling here… waiting for you, waiting for your blood!" once he said blood, Hadrian's ribs broke and collapsed his lungs, forcing him to spit blood upon the grey robed voice. The grey robed man put the blood up to his mouth, and took a smell. "Blood is sweet, when revenge is in it, it's so much better." "What do you want?!" I croaked, the grip almost forcing him to tears. "What do I want? What a trivial question…" the grey robed man pause a moment before coming centimetres from Hadrian's face and whispered "I want you"_

Hadrian woke up, lathered in sweat. Hadrian knew this was a dream. Most of his pain as gone. To check, he looked at his ribs. No bruising, nothing. Just as he was about to go back into bed, he coughed up blood. He looked at it and thought "this isn't a dream, tis real." He walked to his watch, it was good that he wasn't going to sleep, it gave him time to think, what was this? Who is they grey cloaked man? Times like this Hadrian didn't want to be a ranger. But he left real life behind long ago, and took up a rangers. He yawned and faithfully waited till dawn.


End file.
